Author
Topic: Cloudy Short Films (Read 9275 times)

Your lead actor really does have a great face - his inflection also reminds me of Roman Polanski’s in The Tenant: A constant uncertainty, like he thinks he’s not supposed to be anywhere he’s at and is trying to fit in for fear of something terrible happening…

I really loved your opening shot, the way it’s choreographed, the hands finally extending offering Raban the umbrella and briefcase, and the way the depth of the shot changes as the light behind him spills when the door is re-opened. I also enjoyed the later shot when we’re with Raban as he’s walking the streets and our pov changes to become more distant as he enters/exits the bus. These more complex shots that a lot of forethought go into seem to be a real talent of yours. Have you seen Angst? I think you might like that movie. The feeling of the whole world imposing a sense of menace, Raban feeling out of step came across very well.

I think the first few minutes can be shortened a bit. You have some beautiful images in this section (I'll echo jenkins' reference to the 1920s), but the character interactions that follow it are much more dynamic and my feeling is that the beginning could be trimmed to give the short a bit more momentum towards those following conversations. At three minutes in we know Raban has left somewhere, he’s concerned with the time, and he’s thinking of his future wife, but this information is dolled so sparingly that I began to stir. If your picture isn’t locked, I have some more detailed notes I could PM you about this section (if you're interested / feel free to yell “fuck no” at your computer screen).

I liked the tension you created panning back and forth from Raban’s conversation on the street to the bus doors opening and closing, and the lighting in the restaurant later was beautiful, made it feel like the interior was *boiling*. The scene in the train also felt very, solid, for lack of a better word. I loved being able to glance back and forth between Raban and the woman sitting next to him with the wilderness shooting by. Pure cinema.

I agree with Garam that these parts of Europe are some of the most cinematic places on earth. You could train your camera on nothing and there's conflict to spare.

it's really great hearing from both you and garam about the film being grim, menacing. you referencing Angst (jesus) . . . Polanski. While behind the camera I was trying to bring all the warmth I feel reading Kafka, the way his stories feel like prayers to me. But, I guess that sort of despair is felt because it's the normal attitude. can't really explain that well. Wilder, the picture is locked, but I'm really happy to hear you have notes. I'm already moving on to the next thing to shoot in June. thank you for all your words and for watching it so carefully.

The atmosphere is so thick. The rain, the sounds, the heavy, contrasty grade, the pace, the slowness of speech. Everything seems to weigh in and down on the character, the atmosphere giving us such a good sense of the world being oppressive, to him and to us.

You have a great sense of choreography and small cinematic surprises that correspond to character moments: he goes into the tram, we fly alongside it and wonder why he doesn’t sit down, until the answers comes tragi-comically as he just steps right out at the other end.

There’s a refreshing idiosyncrasy to both this and Wiglum, that I can’t quite articulate, but that is now so clearly your form, and it’s a lovely universe to be in.

the word 'atmosphere' comes up a lot when i show this around....always makes me scratch my head a bit...,? !!!!! it's the word i really can't run away from. and you connect the atmosphere with 'character moments'-- which makes me think maybe (maybe) we got one thing right. i cherish it as always, t.